Google Play Games

Google Play Games is a cross platform service that brings real-time multiplayer, leaderboards, achievements and cloud saving to games in both Android and iOS. We got our first look at the service at Google's 2013 Google I/O developer conference as part of the new Google Play services package. Since then, things have grown considerably.

What started with just a few titles and limited support has turned into a portal where end-users like you and me can go to set up games with friends, share game content, view their game progress and more — right from your Android or iDevice. The tools for developers get better with each iteration, and Google seems to be serious about mobile gaming.

One of our favorite features of Google Play Games is the cloud save feature. If a developer chooses, your game data is backed up to your Google account and no matter which device you're using to play (as long as you're signed in) your progress, achievements and any items you may have acquired are all synchronized. This means playing games on your tablet and your phone give you the same experience, and is great when you get a new Android. We hope more and more game developers take advantage of Google Play Games services. Unfortunately, right now most developers aren't using the Google Play Games service.

Getting to the Google Play Games portal is easy enough. It should be preinstalled on your Android, but if not you can grab it from Google Play on the web or right from your device. Sign in with your Google account and you'll be set up and ready to go!

All Google Play Games

Google has announced a number of features to Google Play Games for developers as part of its Developer Day at the 2016 Game Developers Conference. These include new tools like game parameter management and a video recording and live streaming API, as well as new ways to promote games, like trial...

Often times, gamers are known online by a separate identity, and now that identity can be added to your Google Play Games account. Until now, Play Games just showed your actual name, but thanks to new features, you'll be able to go by your alias when gaming on your phone as well. In addition to...

Some changes are coming to Google Play Games this year, and they'll affect both users and developers. As announced on the Android Developer Blog, the changes are intended "to reduce sign-in friction and unnecessary permission requests for players by moving the Games APIs to a new model."
Here's...

Google is expanding the reach of gameplay video to the mobile platform with the latest update to the Google Play Games app for Android. It allows anyone to record and comment on any game in the Google Play store and then upload that footage to share with others.
Google says:
It's simple....

Mobile game developers have to do a ton of things that aren't making games in order to better understand how to reach new audiences and keep their existing users playing. While many users rely on Google Play Games for keeping score against their friends, on the developer side there's a set of...

New tools for game developers also announced by Google
Google Play Games got some attention at the recent Google I/O developer conference and today we're seeing some new some goodies begin to roll out. Google Play Games version 2.0 is beginning to roll out through the Google Play Store bringing...

Google Play Games got its moment in the spotlight in the Google I/O keynote today, where Google's Ellie Powers rolled through some new features for the gamers among us that should add a nice little boost to the experience.
The new Games Profile will change automatically based upon in-game...

The Google Play Games app got an update this afternoon that largely tightens things up in the visual department.
You can now see requests and gifts from friends in the same place. And the overall look has been updated as well, bringing it more in line with what you're used to in, say, Google+....

Four more APIs get rolled into Play Services for easier access by all developers across devices
Version 4.3 of Google Play Services is now rolling out to devices, bringing with it a new set of APIs, refreshes of other existing APIs and improvements related to the Google Play Games announcement...

Google gets serious about gaming at GDC
We thought it was great when Google updated Google Play Games last week some much wanted — and needed — features, but it seems that this was just the tip of the iceberg. Google has expanded their presence at GDC, and it looks like they are going all-in...

Test your knowledge head-to-head on over 400 topics, including Android
QuizUp, the insanely popular trivia game on iOS, has made its way to Android in all its glory today. The game, if you haven't given it a try on the other platform yet, lets you go head-to-head with random opponents all around...

View multiplayer invites, see who is playing what, and discover fun new games
Google has pushed out a sizable update for Google Play Games today (yay, Wednesday!) and the changes finally make the app worth using. There are three major changes, and they are ones that I think everyone is going to...